WHATEVER IT TAKES
Marietjie Lancaster, Group Executive
Strategy at the South African Post Office
speaks with Erica Wark about how the
company continues to place customer care
as its No. 1 business priority.

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SA Post Office FEATURE

P

roviding service where most won’t,
and consistently striving to create
easier systems for communication,
I was keen to find out about the
latest offering from the South African Post
Office (SAPO) to enhance communication and
lifestyle in the country.
SAPO has always been innovative in its
efforts to answer the needs of the South
African public. Going far beyond the reach
of competitors – who will only operate in
areas of high profit – in the past people
have questioned the cold-cut business
sense of the sheer breadth of services
at SAPO. However, if we take a look at
the philosophy behind the company then
perhaps we can better understand its
consistent efforts to extend its reach of
services in catering for the South
African public.

Mission Statement
“We will enable the nation to efficiently
connect with the world by distributing
information, goods, financial and government
services; leveraging our broad reach and
embracing change, technology and innovation”

Vision Statement
“To be recognised among the leading providers
of postal and related services in the world.”

Company Culture and Customer
Care
SAPO is a corporate company with shares, but
the shares are 100% owned by government.
This means that it adheres to both corporate
and governmental laws and is very reliable.
The issue which I’ve touched upon, of
Economic sustainability (vs) Universal service
obligation, is not a topic of debate when
you look at the company profile in this light.
As SAPO is 100% government owned, it is
necessary that it renders a service in even the
very remote parts of South Africa, where it is
quite impossible to make a profit.
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SA Post Office FEATURE

SAPO is very dedicated to trying to meet the
needs of the country, and gains feedback
on its service from customer satisfaction
surveys, after which it puts in place measures
to remedy any areas in which the public
perceive it to be ‘lacking’. This survey is not
just a one off gesture, it is carried out every
two years and is an integral part of business
development and customer care.
SAPO recognise that what is contained
within any given letter or parcel could change
an individuals life, and as such, SAPO take its
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responsibility to the public very seriously.
The slogan on its branding reads
“We deliver, whatever it takes” – which
perfectly encapsulates the dedication and
commitment to the vision and mission
statements. An uncommon thing, and I feel
very special offering.

Far more than mail…
Most of the technological advancements
in South Africa are in fact pushed by the
Post Office.

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SAPO’s commitment to customer care
can be seen in the breadth and reach of
its services expanding into areas where
the government finds it hard to put
infrastructure in place for example:
You can now pay your annual car licensing
fee at the Post Office.
“Hybrid mail”: The latest innovative service
that SAPO are bringing out is Hybrid mail;
this will enable even easier access to the
postal service. You can simply email a
message to a hub at SAPO, where it will be
printed and posted for you!
SAPO also provide a number of Online Tools,
such as the phone directory, and even down to

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catalogued detail of the history of the postal
service… from as far back as the year 1500!
You can literally dip into each year, as if
discovering ‘time capsules’ from the past,
for example:
1500- 1652 : During this period, the crew
of ships travelling to or from the Orient past
the South coast of Africa, placed letters under
postal stones, hoping that they would be found
and delivered by other ships. The necessary
information such as the date, name of the ship
and its captain, were carved on these stones.
The letters were occasionally wrapped in
waxed canvas and, apart from the address, the
letters DGG were written on them – for Door
God geleyd, or ‘Guided by God’.

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SA Post Office FEATURE

Thankfully, the service has become a little
more sophisticated since the stone system of
the 16th-17th Century! …but it’s a fascinating
read, and a testament to the dedicated culture
of the company.... if they go to this effort to
catalogue and track letters back to 1501 then
it gives me great faith that they’ll keep a track
of my parcels in 2010 and beyond!

Corporate Citizenship at SAPO
In the continued sentiment of care for all of
the South African public, not only do the Post
Office endeavour to ensure their mail services
are available to the entire country, moreover,
they are also highly involved in Corporate
Social Investment initiatives to reach out to
disadvantaged individuals and communities.
The Corporate Social Investment initiatives
are aimed at benefiting economically
disadvantaged people that fall within the
women, youth and the disabled segments, with
a bias towards rural and peri-urban areas.
In ensuring that beneficiaries receive the
maximum benefit from our investment, we work
in partnership with communities, not for profit
organisations and like- minded organisations
to offer integrated sustainable solutions. The
primary focus of our corporate citizenship is
to empower people to ensure sustainable and
lasting development. Our areas of investment
include; poverty alleviation, digital inclusion,
environmental sustainability and HIV and AIDS.
Our employee volunteerism program serves to
enhance the reach and impact of our investment.
The South African Post Office seeks to make
a positive contribution to the people and the
environment in which it does business. The
corporate value of contributing positively to
communities and to the environment guides
the organisation’s Corporate Social Investment
strategy and our employees’ response to socioeconomic and environmental challenges faced
by disadvantaged South Africans.
For me, the advantages of using the South
African Post Office, as opposed to any other
competitors, are clear:
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Ease of access to facilities
Additional services all under one roof
The breadth and strength of network means
I can always depend upon them to deliver
Longevity of service proves them to
be reliable,
Backing of being 100% government owned
meaning security for the future
Commitment to adapting their service
offering to satisfy the changing needs of
their customers (eg though hybrid mail.)
But perhaps you’d like to see something else
from the South African Post Office? Look out
for the next customer review, or get in touch
now with your ideas and suggestions…
Answers on a postcard, people…. Oh yes, or
via hybrid mail!
Visit www.sapo.co.za to access a host of
Online Tools and to find out more about how the
South African Post Office can support you. END

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